On May 2, the Zerendinsky District Court considered the case of the director of TOO who provided leisure services at the ski base "Elekty". The man was accused of improper safety provision for holidaymakers, which led to the death of a teenager and injuries to two other tourists, as reported by media sources.
The court established that:
- The minor was sent to the slope without safety instructions and rules explanation.
- There was a lack of markings, protective nets, warning signs, protective mats, and tree barriers on the slope.
- The ski base lacked medical staff and emergency protocols.
- There were no permits for the operation of the ski slope and cable car.
- The staff and instructors worked without proper training.
- The angles of the cable car and ski slope exceeded the permissible limits.
After the tragedy, the director did not suspend operations to address the violations but continued to provide services, leading to severe injuries to two other skiers.
Despite adverse weather conditions (strong wind), TOO operated the ski lift and allowed descents on the slope. As a result, one visitor, N., fell and hit the lift structure, fracturing a lumbar vertebra. On the same day, another visitor, B., fell while not holding onto the lift and suffered a traumatic rupture of the right kidney," the court's press service revealed.
The expertise revealed that:
- The ski lift's condition did not meet safety regulations, with defects in the cable fastenings.
- The cables had breaks and lacked necessary certificates.
- There was no speed limit blocking, and the chair did not protect passengers from falling.
- The station lacked an anemometer to signal wind speed.
When determining the punishment, the court considered the mitigating circumstance of the defendant having a minor child and the aggravating circumstance of repeated offenses.
The court sentenced the ski base director to four years of imprisonment with a three-year ban on working in the service sector. TOO was ordered to pay moral damages to the victims T. and D. in the amount of 10 million tenge each, to M. – 3 million tenge for material damage, and representative expenses.
Furthermore, the plaintiffs were granted the right to seek compensation for material damages from TOO through civil proceedings.
Earlier, the Almaty Region Police Department provided a comment on the schoolgirl's death during classes.
